1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to couplers for trailers and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a coupler having an operable handle which moves the collar to a releasing position and a latching position with respect to the cap.
2. State of the Prior Art
Couplers have long been made so that the cap portion pivots from the front portion of the body. Jacob in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,927,591 and 1,977,065 issued Sept. 19, 1933 and Oct. 16, 1934, respectively, discloses a trailer hitch having a cap hinged to a body at a front portion thereof. A collar is spring biased in a forward position on a rear portion of the body and releasably latches the cap in a closed position. In the U.S. Pat. No. 1,977,065, the cap has a tapered side surface against which the collar bears for a snug fit of the cap around the ball. The spring biased collar automatically adjusts the cap for slight variations in a given ball size, and for wear between the ball and the cavity in the body thereof.
On a coupler similar to the ones disclosed in the Jacob patents, a coupler handle is pivotably mounted on an upright post so that the handle pivots about a vertical axis. Pivotably attached to the handle at a point other than the pivot point of the handle, is a horizontally extending flange having a downwardly extending lip at its front end. The collar has a rear outwardly extending rim which engages the downwardly extending lip of the flange. The handle, when pivoted to a first position, draws back the flange which in turn draws back the collar to a releasing position.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,549 issued to Morris on Sept. 18, 1973, a rotatable locking sleeve is rotatably mounted about a rear portion of the body. The sleeve can be rotated to a first position to allow the cap to open and can be rotated to a locking position to close the cap around the ball. A lock is mounted on the sleeve to prevent any undesirable rotation when the sleeve is in the locking position.